2000 IIHF World Championship
2000 IIHF World Championship
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2000 IIHF World Championship

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Vladimir Putin at the opening ceremony

Key Information

The 2000 IIHF World Championship was held in Saint Petersburg, Russia from 29 April to 14 May.

Qualification

[edit]

This was the final year for qualifying rounds (except 'Far East'). Five teams advanced out of the eight that participated in the two European groups. The top two from each group played in the World Championship, and the third place teams played off against each other for the final spot. Both groups were played 11–14 November 1999.

Group 1 (Great Britain)

[edit]

Played in Sheffield

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Latvia 3 1 2 0 6 3 +3 4
2  Ukraine 3 1 2 0 5 4 +1 4
3  Great Britain 3 0 3 0 3 3 0 3
4  Kazakhstan 3 0 1 2 6 10 −4 1
Source: IIHF
11 November 1999Latvia 6–3 Kazakhstan
11 November 1999Great Britain 2–2 Ukraine
13 November 1999Ukraine 3–2 Kazakhstan
13 November 1999Great Britain 0–0 Latvia
14 November 1999Great Britain 1–1 Kazakhstan
14 November 1999Latvia 0–0 Ukraine

Group 2 (France)

[edit]

Played in Amiens

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Italy 3 2 0 1 11 7 +4 4
2  France 3 1 1 1 10 10 0 3
3  Norway 3 1 1 1 7 8 −1 3
4  Denmark 3 1 0 2 9 12 −3 2
Source: IIHF
11 November 1999Italy 3–5 Denmark
11 November 1999France 3–3 Norway
13 November 1999Italy 4–1 Norway
13 November 1999France 6–3 Denmark
14 November 1999Denmark 1–3 Norway
14 November 1999France 1–4 Italy

Playoff (Netherlands)

[edit]

Played in Eindhoven

14 December 1999Great Britain 1–2 Norway

Far East (Japan)

[edit]

Played 3–5 September 1999 in Aomori.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Japan 2 2 0 0 14 0 +14 4
2  China 2 1 0 1 4 7 −3 2
3  South Korea 2 0 0 2 2 13 −11 0
Source: IIHF
03 September 1999China 4–2 South Korea
04 September 1999Japan 9–0 South Korea
05 September 1999Japan 5–0 China

Venues

[edit]
Saint Petersburg
Locations of the two venues in Saint Petersburg.
Saint Petersburg
Ice Palace
Capacity: 12300
Yubileyny
Capacity: 7000

Preliminary round

[edit]

Like the previous two years, sixteen nations played in four groups of four. However this year the format was modified so that the top three teams from each group would advance to a group of six, carrying forward the results against the teams who advanced with them. The nations from the first and fourth pools were grouped together, likewise the second and third pools. The fourth placed teams were put in a group together to contest relegation.

Group A

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Sweden 3 3 0 0 17 3 +14 6 Qualifying round
2  Latvia 3 2 0 1 9 7 +2 4
3  Belarus 3 1 0 2 10 16 −6 2
4  Ukraine 3 0 0 3 6 16 −10 0 Relegation round
Source: IIHF
30 April 2000
16:30
Belarus 7–3
(3–1, 3–1, 1–1)
 UkraineIce Palace
Attendance: 3,500
Game reference
30 April 2000
20:30
Latvia 1–3
(0–2, 1–1, 0–0)
 SwedenIce Palace
Attendance: 6,500
Game reference
2 May 2000
16:30
Belarus 3–6
(0–2, 3–3, 0–1)
 LatviaIce Palace
Attendance: 7,200
Game reference
2 May 2000
20:30
Sweden 7–2
(2–1, 3–1, 2–0)
 UkraineIce Palace
Attendance: 4,200
Game reference
4 May 2000
16:30
Ukraine 1–2
(1–0, 0–1, 0–1)
 LatviaIce Palace
Attendance: 10,800
Game reference
4 May 2000
20:30
Sweden 7–0
(4–0, 0–0, 3–0)
 BelarusIce Palace
Attendance: 7,200
Game reference

Group B

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Slovakia 3 2 1 0 10 4 +6 5 Qualifying round
2  Finland 3 1 2 0 11 5 +6 4
3  Italy 3 1 0 2 5 12 −7 2
4  Austria 3 0 1 2 3 8 −5 1 Relegation round
Source: IIHF
30 April 2000
16:30
Slovakia 2–0
(0–0, 0–0, 2–0)
 AustriaYubileyny
Attendance: 750
Game reference
30 April 2000
20:30
Italy 0–6
(0–2, 0–4, 0–0)
 FinlandYubileyny
Attendance: 3051
Game reference
2 May 2000
16:30
Slovakia 6–2
(2–1, 0–0, 4–1)
 ItalyYubileyny
Attendance: 1,950
Game reference
2 May 2000
20:30
Finland 3–3
(0–0, 1–2, 2–1)
 AustriaYubileyny
Attendance: 3,950
Game reference
4 May 2000
16:30
Austria 0–3
(0–1, 0–1, 0–1)
 ItalyYubileyny
Attendance: 3,059
Game reference
4 May 2000
20:30
Finland 2–2
(1–1, 1–0, 0–1)
 SlovakiaYubileyny
Attendance: 6,995
Game reference

Group C

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Czech Republic 3 3 0 0 12 4 +8 6 Qualifying round
2  Norway 3 2 0 1 13 7 +6 4
3  Canada 3 1 0 2 10 6 +4 2
4  Japan 3 0 0 3 3 21 −18 0 Relegation round
Source: IIHF
29 April 2000
16:30
Canada 6–0
(1–0, 2–0, 3–0)
 JapanYubileyny
Attendance: 852
Game reference
29 April 2000
20:30
Norway 0–4
(0–1, 0–0, 0–3)
 Czech RepublicYubileyny
Attendance: 1,600
Game reference
1 May 2000
16:30
Czech Republic 6–3
(2–1, 2–1, 2–1)
 JapanYubileyny
Attendance: 1,500
Game reference
1 May 2000
20:30
Canada 3–4
(0–0, 3–3, 0–1)
 NorwayYubileyny
Attendance: 3,300
Game reference
3 May 2000
16:30
Japan 0–9
(0–4, 0–3, 0–2)
 NorwayYubileyny
Attendance: 1,685
Game reference
3 May 2000
20:30
Czech Republic 2–1
(1–1, 1–0, 0–0)
 CanadaYubileyny
Attendance: 5,261
Game reference

Group D

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  United States 3 2 1 0 9 5 +4 5 Qualifying round
2   Switzerland 3 1 1 1 8 9 −1 3
3  Russia (H) 3 1 0 2 10 7 +3 2
4  France 3 1 0 2 7 13 −6 2 Relegation round
Source: IIHF
(H) Hosts
29 April 2000
16:30
United States 3–3
(1–1, 1–1, 1–1)
  SwitzerlandIce Palace
Attendance: 5,730
Game reference
8 minPenalties12 min
22Shots25
29 April 2000
20:30
Russia 8–1
(3–1, 4–0, 1–0)
 FranceIce Palace
Attendance: 11,000
Game reference
Ilya BryzgalovGoaliesPatrick Rolland
Fabrice Lhenry
Referee:
Czech Republic Vladimír Šindler
Linesmen:
Finland Panu Bruun
Sweden Johan Norrman
Sushinsky (Markov) – 01:141–0
Sushinsky (Kharitonov) – 06:212–0
Afinogenov (Petrov, Kozlov) – 09:313–0
3–110:54 – Bachelet
Gonchar (Kudashov) (PP) – 22:544–1
Bure – 24:155–1
Sushinsky (Prokopiev, Kharitonov) – 28:526–1
Bure (Zhitnik) – 30:417–1
Prokopiev (Sushinsky) – 57:568–1
8 minPenalties20 min
48Shots14
1 May 2000
16:30
Switzerland 2–4
(0–0, 2–2, 0–2)
 FranceIce Palace
Attendance: 3,200
Game reference
16 minPenalties14 min
27Shots33
1 May 2000
20:30
Russia 0–3
(0–0, 0–2, 0–1)
 United StatesIce Palace
Attendance: 12,350
Game reference
Ilya BryzgalovGoaliesRobert EscheReferee:
Slovakia Vladimír Mihálik
Linesmen:
Finland Panu Bruun
Sweden Johan Norrman
0–129:17 – Blake (Peluso, Weinrich) (PP)
0–231:13 – Housley (Peluso, Heinze)
0–346:06 – Legwand
10 minPenalties12 min
44Shots30
3 May 2000
16:30
France 2–3
(0–2, 1–0, 1–1)
 United StatesIce Palace
Attendance: 5,500
Game reference
16 minPenalties12 min
21Shots31
3 May 2000
20:30
Switzerland 3–2
(1–1, 2–1, 0–0)
 RussiaIce Palace
Attendance: 12,300
Game reference
Reto PavoniGoaliesIlya BryzgalovReferee:
Canada Kevin Acheson
Linesmen:
Norway Pål Garsjø
Germany Christian Oswald
0–112:19 – Yashin (Bure, Kozlov)
Sutter (Jenni, Keller) – 01:141–1
1–235:11 – Kozlov (Yashin, Markov)
Conne (Della Rossa) – 36:052–2
Ziegler (Micheli) – 38:033–2
10 minPenalties6 min
21Shots36

Relegation round

[edit]

Group G

[edit]

The relegation round is composed of the four teams that placed last in Groups A through D. They play in a round-robin fashion, with the last placed team that is not the far east qualifier, being relegated to the Division I group in next year's World Championships.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Relegation
1  Austria 3 2 1 0 11 8 +3 5
2  Ukraine 3 2 0 1 9 5 +4 4
3  France 3 1 1 1 12 8 +4 3 Relegation to Division I
4  Japan 3 0 0 3 5 16 −11 0
Source: IIHF
6 May 2000
16:30
France 3–3
(0–2, 2–1, 1–0)
 AustriaYubileyny
Attendance: 4,168
Game reference
6 May 2000
16:30
Ukraine 4–0
(3–0, 0–0, 1–0)
 JapanIce Palace
Attendance: 5,250
Game reference
7 May 2000
12:30
France 2–3
(0–1, 0–1, 2–1)
 UkraineIce Palace
Attendance: 5,200
Game reference
7 May 2000
12:30
Austria 5–3
(2–1, 1–1, 2–1)
 JapanYubileyny
Attendance: 4,848
Game reference
9 May 2000
12:30
France 7–2
(3–0, 1–1, 3–1)
 JapanIce Palace
Attendance: 8,050
Game reference
9 May 2000
12:30
Austria 3–2
(0–0, 0–2, 3–0)
 UkraineYubileyny
Attendance: 5,412
Game reference

 France is relegated to Division I.  Japan will play together with China and Korea in 2001 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification Tournament

Qualifying round

[edit]

Group E

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  United States 5 3 2 0 13 7 +6 8 Quarterfinals
2   Switzerland 5 2 2 1 14 12 +2 6
3  Sweden 5 2 1 2 16 11 +5 5
4  Latvia 5 2 1 2 12 13 −1 5
5  Belarus 5 2 0 3 9 17 −8 4
6  Russia (H) 5 1 0 4 8 12 −4 2
Source: IIHF
(H) Hosts
5 May 2000
16:30
Latvia 3–2
(0–0, 3–2, 0–0)
 RussiaIce Palace
Attendance: 7,500
Game reference
Artūrs IrbeGoaliesIlya Bryzgalov
Yegor Podomatsky
Referee:
Sweden Peter Andersson
Linesmen:
United States John Costello
Canada Serge Carpentier
Beļavskis (Kerčs, Laviņš) (PP) – 21:581–0
1–134:16 – Petrov (Zhamnov)
Semjonovs (Ņiživijs) – 36:582–1
Semjonovs (PP) – 38:363–1
3–239:25 – Bure (Kozlov)
12 minPenalties16 min
26Shots39
5 May 2000
20:30
United States 1–0
(0–0, 1–0, 0–0)
 BelarusIce Palace
Attendance: 5,300
Game reference
Damian RhodesGoaliesAndrei Mezin
Luongo – 26:171–0
8 minPenalties6 min
28Shots25
6 May 2000
20:30
Sweden 1–1
(0–0, 0–0, 1–1)
  SwitzerlandIce Palace
Attendance: 6,800
Game reference
14 minPenalties18 min
35Shots9
7 May 2000
16:30
Russia 0–1
(0–1, 0–0, 0–0)
 BelarusIce Palace
Attendance: 11,600
Game reference
Yegor PodomatskyGoaliesAndrei Mezin
Leonid Fatikov
Referee:
Czech Republic Vladimír Šindler
Linesmen:
Switzerland Nadir Mandioni
Germany Christian Oswald
0–112:00 – Tsyplakov (Kalyuzhny) (PP)
8 minPenalties6 min
31Shots18
7 May 2000
20:30
United States 1–1
(0–1, 0–0, 1–0)
 LatviaIce Palace
Attendance: 3,100
Game reference
12 minPenalties12 min
37Shots19
8 May 2000
16:30
Latvia 1–4
(0–0, 0–3, 1–1)
  SwitzerlandIce Palace
Attendance: 3,600
Game reference
12 minPenalties6 min
24Shots21
8 May 2000
20:30
Sweden 3–5
(1–2, 2–2, 0–1)
 United StatesIce Palace
Attendance: 5,800
Game reference
8 minPenalties12 min
23Shots22
9 May 2000
16:30
Switzerland 3–5
(3–1, 0–3, 0–1)
 BelarusIce Palace
Attendance: 5,100
Game reference
18 minPenalties30 min
20Shots31
9 May 2000
20:30
Sweden 2–4
(1–1, 0–1, 1–2)
 RussiaIce Palace
Attendance: 12,100
Game reference
Mikael TellqvistGoaliesYegor PodomatskyReferee:
Finland Pekka Haajanen
Linesmen:
Switzerland Nadir Mandioni
Germany Christian Oswald
0–103:27 – Kharitonov (Khavanov)
Axelsson – 03:531–1
1–226:24 – Kharitonov (Prokopiev) (SH)
1–342:21 – Prokopiev (Kharitonov) (SH)
1–456:06 – Bure
Nordström (Andersson, Nord)– 56:212–4
16 minPenalties10 min
15Shots27

Group F

[edit]
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Czech Republic 5 4 0 1 25 11 +14 8 Quarterfinals
2  Finland 5 3 1 1 22 15 +7 7
3  Canada 5 3 0 2 19 10 +9 6
4  Slovakia 5 2 1 2 22 15 +7 5
5  Norway 5 1 1 3 10 24 −14 3
6  Italy 5 0 1 4 5 28 −23 1
Source: IIHF
5 May 2000
16:30
Finland 1–5
(1–0, 0–1, 0–4)
 CanadaYubileyny
Attendance: 6,615
Game reference
5 May 2000
20:30
Czech Republic 9–2
(2–0, 5–0, 2–2)
 ItalyYubileyny
Attendance: 3,132
Game reference
6 May 2000
20:30
Slovakia 9–1
(3–0, 1–1, 5–0)
 NorwayYubileyny
Attendance: 2,001
Game reference
7 May 2000
16:30
Canada 6–0
(2–0, 3–0, 1–0)
 ItalyYubileyny
Attendance: 4,730
Game reference
7 May 2000
20:30
Czech Republic 4–6
(2–1, 1–2, 1–3)
 FinlandYubileyny
Attendance: 7,182
Game reference
8 May 2000
16:30
Norway 4–7
(0–2, 3–4, 1–1)
 FinlandYubileyny
Attendance: 4,610
Game reference
8 May 2000
20:30
Czech Republic 6–2
(1–0, 3–2, 2–0)
 SlovakiaYubileyny
Attendance: 3,999
Game reference
9 May 2000
16:30
Norway 1–1
(0–0, 1–0, 0–1)
 ItalyYubileyny
Attendance: 3,080
Game reference
9 May 2000
20:30
Slovakia 3–4
(1–0, 1–2, 1–2)
 CanadaYubileyny
Attendance: 5,525
Game reference

Final round

[edit]

Bracket

[edit]
Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
         
E1  United States 1
F4  Slovakia 4
QF1  Slovakia 3
QF4  Finland 1
F2  Finland 2
E3  Sweden 1
SF1  Slovakia 3
SF2  Czech Republic 5
E2   Switzerland 3
F3  Canada 5
QF3  Canada 1 Third Place
QF2  Czech Republic 2
F1  Czech Republic 3 SF1  Finland 2
E4  Latvia 1 SF2  Canada 1

Quarterfinals

[edit]
11 May 2000
16:30
United States 1–4
(1–0, 0–3, 0–1)
 SlovakiaIce Palace
Attendance: 1,900
11 May 2000
16:30
Finland 2–1
(0–1, 0–0, 2–0)
 SwedenYubileyny
Attendance: 6,120
11 May 2000
20:30
Switzerland 3–5
(0–1, 2–1, 1–3)
 CanadaIce Palace
Attendance: 3,500
11 May 2000
20:30
Czech Republic 3–1
(0–0, 3–1, 0–0)
 LatviaYubileyny
Attendance: 3,244

Semifinals

[edit]
12 May 2000
16:30
Slovakia 3–1
(2–0, 1–1, 0–0)
 FinlandIce Palace
Attendance: 10800
12 May 2000
20:30
Canada 1–2
(1–1, 0–0, 0–1)
 Czech RepublicIce Palace
Attendance: 11,700

Bronze medal game

[edit]
14 May 2000
14:30
Canada 1–2
(1–0, 0–1, 0–1)
 FinlandIce Palace
Attendance: 10,700
Adrian Aucoin – 07:371–0
1–135:29 − Jukka Hentunen
1–249:02 − Marko Tuomainen

Final

[edit]
14 May 2000
18:30
Slovakia 3–5
(0–3, 1–0, 2–2)
 Czech RepublicIce Palace Arena, Saint Petersburg
Attendance: 12,350
Game reference
Ján LašákGoaliesRoman ČechmánekReferee:
Canada K. Acheson
Linesmen:
Canada S. Carpentier
United States J. Costello
0–16:04 – M. Sýkora (M. Procházka, V. Varaďa)
0–29:34 – T. Vlasák (P. Buzek)
0–312:25 – M. Procházka (T. Vlasák, P. Patera)
M. Štrbák (R. Suchý, P. Pucher) – 27:431–3
1–443:45 – J. Tomajko (J. Dopita, D. Výborný)
M. Hlinka – 55:222–4
M. Šatan (L. Bartečko) – 57:383–4
3–558:58 – R. Reichel (M. Sýkora, V. Prospal)
5 minPenalties10 min
33Shots15

Ranking and statistics

[edit]


 2000 IIHF World Championship winners 

Czech Republic
3rd/9th[1] title

Tournament Awards

[edit]

Final standings

[edit]

The final standings of the tournament according to IIHF:

1st place, gold medalist(s)  Czech Republic
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Slovakia
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Finland
4  Canada
5  United States
6   Switzerland
7  Sweden
8  Latvia
9  Belarus
10  Norway
11  Russia
12  Italy
13  Austria
14  Ukraine
15  France
16  Japan

Scoring leaders

[edit]

List shows the top skaters sorted by points, then goals. If the list exceeds 10 skaters because of a tie in points, all of the tied skaters are left out.

Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM POS
Slovakia Miroslav Šatan 9 10 2 12 +3 14 F
Czech Republic Jiří Dopita 9 4 7 11 +8 16 F
Czech Republic David Výborný 9 4 6 10 +6 6 F
Canada Todd Bertuzzi 9 5 4 9 +5 47 F
Czech Republic Tomáš Vlasák 9 4 5 9 +4 0 F
Norway Trond Magnussen 6 3 6 9 +4 10 F
Canada Ryan Smyth 9 3 6 9 +3 0 F
Czech Republic Michal Sýkora 9 5 3 8 +7 16 D
France Arnaud Briand 6 4 4 8 −2 8 F
France Maurice Rozenthal 6 3 5 8 0 8 F

Leading goaltenders

[edit]

Only the top five goaltenders, based on save percentage, who have played 40% of their team's minutes are included in this list.

Player MIP SOG GA GAA SVS% SO
Canada José Théodore 478:11 192 13 1.63 93.23 2
Austria Reinhard Divis 358:56 201 15 2.51 92.54 0
Czech Republic Roman Čechmánek 480:00 212 16 2.00 92.45 1
Sweden Tommy Salo 358:31 128 10 1.67 92.19 1
Switzerland Reto Pavoni 299:41 151 14 2.80 90.73 0

IIHF honors and awards

[edit]

The 2000 IIHF Hall of Fame induction ceremony has held in Saint Petersburg during the World Championships. Vsevolod Kukushkin of Russia was given the Paul Loicq Award for outstanding contributions to international ice hockey.[2]

IIHF Hall of Fame inductees

See also

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ If 6 World Championship titles won by Czechoslovakia are included, this total comes to 9.
  2. ^ "Всеволод Кукушкин". Living Library (in Russian). Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Wayne Gretzky–2012 Order of Hockey in Canada Honouree". Hockey Canada. 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Tomas Jonsson". Swedish Olympic Committee (in Swedish). 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Udo Kießling # 4". Kölner Haie (in German). 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Jari Kurri". Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame (in Finnish). 2014. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  7. ^ Panyshev, Pavel (6 October 2015). "Искусство Виртуоза. Борису Михайлову – 71 год". Championat (in Russian). Moscow, Russia. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Peter Stastny". The Hockey Writers. 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Göran Stubb". Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame (in Finnish). 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2023.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
The 2000 IIHF World Championship was the 64th edition of the annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Held from April 29 to May 14, 2000, in Saint Petersburg, Russia—the first time the event was hosted by the country—it featured 16 teams in the top division competing in a preliminary round followed by knockout playoffs.[1][2][3] The Czech Republic claimed their third world title overall and second in a row, defeating Slovakia 5–3 in the final at the Ice Palace to cap a dominant playoff run that included a 2–1 semifinal win over Canada.[4][5] Finland secured the bronze medal with a 2–1 victory against Canada in the third-place game, marking their fourth medal in five years during a strong era for Finnish hockey.[3] The tournament showcased high-scoring action across 56 games in the top division, with a total of 42 nations participating across all divisions, highlighting the growing global reach of the sport.[3] Notable performances included goaltending heroics from Czech Republic's Roman Čechmánek, contributions from stars like Slovakia's Žigmund Pálffy, who led his team to the final in a historic appearance for the young nation,[5] and Arturs Irbe's standout goaltending in Latvia's shocking 3-2 upset victory over a star-studded host Russia team.[6] The event drew significant attention in Russia, with strong attendance at the two venues—the Ice Palace and Yubileyny Sports Palace—and set the stage for the Czechs' continued dominance in international hockey through the early 2000s.[2][7]

Background

Host selection and organization

The hosting rights for the 2000 IIHF World Championship were awarded to Russia, with Saint Petersburg selected as the sole host city to streamline logistics and operations for the event.[8] This decision emphasized centralization, allowing for focused preparations in a single location rather than splitting across multiple cities.[8] Preparations in Saint Petersburg included significant infrastructure upgrades, notably the construction of the new Ice Palace arena specifically for the tournament, which opened in 2000 and served as a primary venue.[9] The event, running from April 29 to May 14, 2000, underscored its national importance, with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attending the opening ceremony alongside Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.[10] The tournament drew a total attendance of 318,449 across 56 games, averaging 5,687 spectators per game, reflecting strong local interest and support from the Russian government.[11]

Tournament format and rules

The 2000 IIHF World Championship featured 16 teams divided into four preliminary groups of four teams each, where every team competed in a round-robin format, playing three games against the others in their group.[12] This structure allowed for a balanced initial assessment of team strengths while keeping the preliminary phase compact, spanning from April 29 to May 4 in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The top three teams from each preliminary group advanced to the qualifying round, split into two groups (E and F) of six teams apiece, continuing with round-robin play among the advancers; results from the preliminary round against teams in the same qualifying group were carried forward. Meanwhile, the fourth-placed teams from the preliminaries entered a separate relegation round to determine promotion and relegation status for the following year.[12] From the qualifying round, the top four teams in each group progressed to the single-elimination playoff stage, including quarterfinals, semifinals, and placement games for final rankings, with seeding assigned based on qualifying round performance to ensure competitive matchups.[12] All games adhered to standard IIHF regulations, structured as three 20-minute periods totaling 60 minutes of regulation time, with ties resolved by a 10-minute sudden-death overtime period played at 5-on-5, followed by a best-of-five penalty shootout if necessary. Penalty minutes were recorded to enforce discipline, and the tournament's centralized venues in the host city facilitated efficient scheduling across phases.[13] In total, 327 goals were scored over 56 games, yielding an average of 5.84 goals per game, reflecting the competitive and offensive nature of the event.[14] For group standings, tie-breaking procedures prioritized head-to-head results between tied teams, followed by goal difference in those games, and then total goals scored if further resolution was needed; this system ensured fair and objective rankings without relying solely on points from wins and ties.[15]

Qualification

The qualification for the 2000 IIHF World Championship featured European groups and a Far East qualifier to fill spots vacated by relegated teams from 1999 (Italy and Japan). This was the final year for European qualification tournaments beyond the top division, with the top two teams from each European group promoting to the top division and the bottom two to Pool B. Five teams advanced overall (four from Europe, one from Far East).[12]

European Group 1 (Great Britain)

The European Group 1 qualification tournament for the 2000 IIHF World Championship was held in Sheffield, Great Britain, from November 11 to 14, 1999, featuring four teams: Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Latvia, and Ukraine.[16] The event followed a round-robin format, with the top two teams earning promotion to the top division for the 2000 tournament in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Latvia and Ukraine each secured 4 points (1 win, 2 ties), clinching promotion. Great Britain finished third with 3 points (3 ties), while Kazakhstan placed fourth with 1 point (1 tie, 2 losses). The tournament featured defensive play, with a total of 17 goals scored across six games (average 2.83 goals per match).[16]
PosTeamGPWTLGFGAGDPts
1Latvia312063+34
2Ukraine312054+14
3Great Britain30303303
4Kazakhstan3012610–41
This qualification marked returns for Latvia and Ukraine to the elite level after competing in lower divisions.

European Group 2 (France)

The European Group 2 qualification tournament for the 2000 IIHF World Championship was held from November 11 to 14, 1999, featuring four teams: Denmark, France, Italy, and Norway. The round-robin format saw the top two teams promote to the top division. Italy topped the group with 4 points from 2 wins and 1 loss, securing promotion. France finished second with 3 points (1 win, 1 tie, 1 loss), also advancing. Norway placed third with 3 points (1 win, 1 tie, 1 loss), and Denmark fourth with 2 points (1 win, 2 losses). Key matches included Italy's wins over Denmark and Norway, and France's tie with Norway. The tournament showcased competitive play with 37 goals across six games.[17]
PosTeamGPWTLGFGAGDPts
1Italy3201117+44
2France3111101003
3Norway311178–13
4Denmark3102912–32
Italy and France's success returned them to the top division, building on their 1999 performances.

European playoff (Netherlands)

No additional European playoff was held for top-division promotion; the top two teams from each European Group 1 and Group 2 advanced directly (Latvia, Ukraine, Italy, France). Lower-placed teams competed in Pool B. The Netherlands hosted unrelated lower-division events around this period but not a top-division playoff.[12]

Far East qualifier (Japan)

The Far East qualifier served as the regional qualification event for Asian teams seeking promotion to the top division of the 2000 IIHF World Championship. Held in Japan from September 4 to 5, 1999, the round-robin tournament involved three nations: Japan, China, and South Korea. Following their relegation from the 1999 top division, Japan entered as favorites to reclaim their spot.[18] Japan delivered a commanding performance, winning both of their matches without conceding a goal. On September 4, they defeated South Korea 9–0, followed by a 5–0 shutout victory over China on September 5. These results propelled Japan to the top of the standings with 4 points and a +14 goal difference, earning them promotion back to the elite level. China secured second place with a 4–2 win over South Korea, claiming 2 points, while South Korea ended with 0 points and faced relegation to a lower tier. The tournament featured three matches in total, with 20 goals scored overall.[18]
PosTeamGPWTLGFGAGDPts
1Japan2200140+144
2China210147–32
3South Korea2002213–110
Japan's success marked their return to the top division, where they competed in Saint Petersburg alongside 15 other nations. This qualification format ensured ongoing representation from the Far East region in the IIHF's flagship event.[18][3]

Venues

Yubileyny Sports Palace

The Yubileyny Sports Palace, situated in Saint Petersburg, Russia, functioned as the main arena for the 2000 IIHF World Championship, accommodating up to 7,000 spectators for ice hockey matches.[19][20] Built in 1967, the venue featured an ice surface measuring 60 by 30 meters, adhering to the standard dimensions specified by the International Ice Hockey Federation for international competitions.[15] This facility hosted the bulk of the tournament's preliminary round, qualifying round, and playoff contests, serving as the central hub for high-profile matchups during the event held from April 29 to May 14.[21] The opening ceremony occurred at Yubileyny on April 29, with Russian President Vladimir Putin in attendance to mark the start of the championship. Games involving the host Russian team consistently attracted strong crowds, with several matches drawing over 6,000 fans, contributing significantly to the overall tournament attendance of 318,449 across both venues.[15] Minor adjustments were made during the event to address temporary concerns with ice maintenance, ensuring smooth play throughout.[15]

Ice Palace

The Ice Palace (Russian: Ледовый Дворец, Ledovy Dvorets), located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, served as a key venue for the 2000 IIHF World Championship, boasting a capacity of 12,300 spectators and functioning as the largest arena utilized during the event.[22] This made it particularly suitable for accommodating larger international crowds, contributing to the tournament's ability to host diverse matches effectively. Constructed specifically for the championship and opened in April 2000, the facility represented a modern addition to Saint Petersburg's sports infrastructure, enhancing the city's preparations for dual-venue operations alongside the Yubileyny Sports Palace.[22] The arena hosted select games from the preliminary and qualifying rounds, as well as critical playoff matches, helping to balance the overall schedule across the two sites and ensure smooth progression through the tournament stages. Its design supported improved broadcast quality through superior acoustics and spacious seating arrangements, facilitating global viewership of the event. Logistically, the Ice Palace shared ice maintenance resources with the Yubileyny Sports Palace to maintain consistent playing conditions throughout the competition, with approximately 20 games taking place there in total. These elements underscored its role as a vital secondary venue in delivering a well-organized championship.

Preliminary round

Group A

Group A of the preliminary round consisted of four teams: Sweden, Latvia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The round-robin tournament took place from April 29 to May 4, 2000, at the Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia.[23] Sweden dominated the group, remaining undefeated with three wins to earn 6 points. Latvia secured second place with 4 points from two wins and one tie. Belarus earned 2 points from one win and two losses to take third. Ukraine finished last with no points after three losses. The group produced a total of 56 goals over six games.[23]
TeamGPWTLGFGAPts
Sweden33001736
Latvia3201974
Belarus310210162
Ukraine30036160
Key performances included Sweden's 7–0 shutout victory over Belarus, showcasing their offensive depth. Another highlight was Latvia's 6–3 win against Belarus. The top three teams—Sweden, Latvia, and Belarus—advanced to the qualifying round, where they joined teams from other preliminary groups to compete for playoff spots. Ukraine, as the bottom team, proceeded to the relegation round to battle for survival in the top division.[23] This group exemplified the competitive mix of established European teams in the preliminary stage, contributing to the tournament's overall excitement.

Group B

Group B of the preliminary round included Slovakia, Finland, Italy, and Austria, with matches taking place from April 29 to May 4, 2000, at the Yubileyny Sports Palace in Saint Petersburg.[24] Slovakia topped the group with 5 points from two wins and one tie. Finland placed second with 4 points from one win and two ties, while Italy took third with 2 points from one win and two losses. Austria finished last with 1 point from one tie and two losses.[24]
TeamGPWTLGFGAPts
Slovakia32101045
Finland31201154
Italy31025122
Austria3012381
Key highlights included the 2–2 tie between Slovakia and Finland in a closely contested match, and Italy's 3–0 shutout win over Austria. The top three teams—Slovakia, Finland, and Italy—advanced to the qualifying round, while Austria faced relegation.[24]

Group C

Group C of the preliminary round took place at the Yubileyny Sports Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, from April 29 to May 4, 2000, and consisted of four teams: the Czech Republic, Norway, Canada, and Japan.[25] The teams competed in a round-robin format, with each playing three games to determine the standings. The top three teams advanced to the qualifying round, while the last-placed team proceeded to the relegation round.[25] The Czech Republic dominated, securing three victories to finish first with 6 points. Norway earned 4 points from two wins and one tie for second place. Canada took third with 2 points from one win and two losses. Japan struggled, finishing last with 0 points. The final standings were determined by points, with ties broken by goal difference.[25]
RankTeamGPWTLPtsGFGAGD
1Czech Republic33006124+8
2Norway32014137+6
3Canada31022106+4
4Japan30030321-18
Key matches included Norway's 4–3 upset victory over Canada, and the Czech Republic's 2–1 win against Canada. The top three teams advanced to the qualifying round, while Japan was relegated to the relegation round.[25]

Group D

Group D of the preliminary round featured the United States, Switzerland, Russia (the host nation), and France, with games played from April 29 to May 4, 2000, at the Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia. France had recently qualified for the top division.[26] The United States led the group with 5 points from two wins and one tie. Switzerland finished second with 3 points from one win, one tie, and one loss. Russia took third with 2 points from one win and two losses, while France ended last with 2 points but worse goal difference, facing relegation.[26] The standings reflected the competition in the group:
TeamGPWTLGFGAPts
United States3210955
Switzerland3111893
Russia31021072
France31027132
Key matches included the United States' 3–0 shutout over Russia on May 1, and Switzerland's 3–2 victory against Russia on May 3, contributing to the host's disappointing preliminary performance. The United States' 3–3 tie with Switzerland highlighted a competitive start. The top three teams—United States, Switzerland, and Russia—advanced to the qualifying round to determine seeding for the playoff stage, while France's performance led to their drop back to lower divisions. This group outcome underscored the United States' strength and the host Russia's challenges.[26]

Relegation round

Relegation Group

The Relegation Group consisted of the bottom-placed teams from the preliminary round groups: Austria, Ukraine, France, and Japan.[27] This round-robin tournament took place from May 6 to 9, 2000, at the Yubileyny Sports Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia.[27] Each team played three games, with standings determined by points (2 for a win, 1 for a tie, 0 for a loss).[27] The two lowest-ranked teams were to be relegated to Division I for the 2001 IIHF World Championship.[27]
TeamGPWTLGFGAGDPts
Austria3210118+35
Ukraine320195+44
France3111128+43
Japan3003516−110
Tiebreakers were resolved by goal difference, allowing Austria and Ukraine to remain in the top division while France and Japan were relegated.[27][2]

Qualifying round

Group E

The qualifying round Group E was contested from May 5 to 9, 2000, at the Ice Palace (also known as Leningrad Ice Palace) in Saint Petersburg, Russia, as part of the second stage following the preliminary round. Six teams participated: the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, Latvia, Belarus, and Russia. These squads consisted of the top three finishers from preliminary Groups A, B, C, and D, rebalanced into two qualifying groups to determine the eight teams advancing to the playoff round. The format was a single round-robin, with points awarded as two for a win, one for a tie, and zero for a loss; the top four teams progressed to the quarterfinals.[3] Competition in Group E was closely contested, particularly among the mid-table teams, with multiple ties influencing the final order. The United States demonstrated strong defensive play, securing first place with an undefeated record in regulation time and advancing as the overall fifth seed based on their preliminary round performance. Switzerland edged out Sweden and Latvia for second on goal difference, while Sweden and Latvia tied on points but Sweden took third via tiebreaker criteria. Belarus upset host Russia in a key 1-0 shutout on May 7, but faltered elsewhere, finishing fifth and facing relegation risks. Russia struggled throughout, winning only once and placing last, marking a disappointing home performance for the hosts.[3] Notable matches included the United States' 5-3 comeback win over Sweden on May 8, which solidified their group lead, and Switzerland's 4-1 victory over Latvia on May 8, crucial for their advancement. The United States also posted a 1-0 shutout against Belarus on May 5, highlighting goaltender Mike Richter's strong play. Sweden recovered from early setbacks with a 4-2 win over Russia on May 9, ensuring their playoff spot.[3] The final standings were:
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1United States5320137+68Quarterfinals
2Switzerland52211412+26Quarterfinals
3Sweden52121611+55Quarterfinals
4Latvia52121213-15Quarterfinals
5Belarus5203917-84Relegation round
6Russia5104812-42Relegation round
Source:[3]

Group F

The qualifying round Group F was contested from May 5 to 9, 2000, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, at the Ice Palace and Yubileyny Sports Palace, as part of the second stage following the preliminary round. Six teams participated: the Czech Republic, Finland, Canada, Slovakia, Norway, and Italy. These squads consisted of the top three finishers from preliminary Groups A, B, C, and D, rebalanced into two qualifying groups to determine the eight teams advancing to the playoff round. The format was a single round-robin, with points awarded as two for a win, one for a tie, and zero for a loss; the top four teams progressed to the quarterfinals. The Czech Republic dominated Group F, finishing first with four wins and one loss to secure top seeding in their playoff bracket. Finland claimed second with a strong performance, including a key tie and win that edged out Canada for the position. Canada took third despite losses to the top teams, while Slovakia advanced in fourth via better goal difference over Norway. Norway and Italy finished at the bottom, with Italy suffering heavy defeats throughout. Notable matches included the Czech Republic's 6–2 victory over Slovakia on May 8, which helped solidify their lead, and Finland's competitive showings against Canada and the Czechs. The top four teams—the Czech Republic, Finland, Canada, and Slovakia—advanced to the quarterfinals, with the Czech Republic seeded first and Finland second in their bracket. The final standings were:
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Czech Republic54012511+148Quarterfinals
2Finland53112215+77Quarterfinals
3Canada53021910+96Quarterfinals
4Slovakia52122215+75Quarterfinals
5Norway51131024-143Relegation round
6Italy5014528-231Relegation round
Source:

Playoff round

Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals of the 2000 IIHF World Championship were held on May 11 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, featuring an eight-team single-elimination format to determine the four semifinalists.[28] Pairings were determined by seeds from the qualifying groups, with top teams from Groups E and F facing off against lower-seeded opponents from the preliminary round.[15] All matches took place at the Yubileyny Sports Palace and the Ice Palace, with most games decided by narrow margins.[15] The matchups produced tense contests, beginning with Canada's 2–1 overtime victory over Switzerland at the Ice Palace.[28] In another game at the Yubileyny Sports Palace, Finland defeated Sweden 2–1 to advance.[28] The Czech Republic secured a 3–1 win against Latvia at the Yubileyny Sports Palace.[28] Slovakia earned a 4–1 victory over the United States at the Ice Palace.[29] Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, and Slovakia advanced to the semifinals as a result of these outcomes, setting up the medal contention phase.[28]
MatchupScoreVenueKey Note
Canada vs. Switzerland2–1 (OT)Ice PalaceOvertime win
Czech Republic vs. Latvia3–1Yubileyny Sports PalaceComfortable victory
Finland vs. Sweden2–1Yubileyny Sports PalaceNarrow win
Slovakia vs. United States4–1Ice PalaceConvincing win

Semifinals

The semifinals of the 2000 IIHF World Championship took place on May 12, 2000, at the Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, pitting the quarterfinal winners against each other to decide the finalists. In the opening semifinal, the defending champion Czech Republic defeated Canada 2–1 in a tightly contested match. The game remained level at 1–1 after a back-and-forth first period, followed by a scoreless second, before the Czechs netted the decisive goal in the third period to secure their berth in the gold medal game.[30] Their strong defensive performance limited Canada's scoring chances, allowing goaltender Roman Čechmánek to make key saves in preserving the narrow victory.[3] The second semifinal saw Slovakia pull off a 3–1 upset over Finland, advancing to face the Czech Republic in the final. Slovakia jumped to a 2–0 lead in the opening period and added another goal in the second to match Finland's response, holding firm defensively in the third to clinch the win.[31] This result highlighted Slovakia's resilient play following their quarterfinal triumph over the United States.[32] Canada and Finland, the semifinal losers, proceeded to contest the bronze medal game the following day.[3]

Bronze medal game

The bronze medal game of the 2000 IIHF World Championship took place on 14 May 2000 at the Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, featuring the semifinal losers Canada and Finland. Canada had advanced to the semifinals after defeating Switzerland in the quarterfinals but fell 1–2 to the Czech Republic, while Finland had defeated Sweden in the quarterfinals before losing 1–3 to Slovakia.[33][4] The contest was a tightly played defensive battle, with Canada striking first in the opening period to take a 1–0 lead. Finland equalized in the second period, setting the stage for a decisive third frame where Marko Tuomainen scored the game-winning goal at 9:02, giving the Finns a 2–1 victory in regulation time. Tuomainen's tally, his second of the tournament, proved pivotal in securing bronze for Finland and denying Canada a podium finish.[34][4] The match drew an attendance of 5,261 spectators and underscored Finland's resilience in international play, marking their second straight bronze medal at the Worlds. No overtime was required, and the game highlighted the growing rivalry between the two nations in bronze medal contests.[33]

Gold medal game

The gold medal game of the 2000 IIHF World Championship took place on May 14, 2000, at the Ice Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, pitting the Czech Republic against Slovakia in a highly anticipated matchup between the former halves of Czechoslovakia.[35] The Czechs, seeking to defend their 1999 title, dominated early, scoring three goals in the first period through Michal Sýkora (assisted by Jaroslav Procházka and František Varaďa at 6:04), Tomáš Vlasák (assisted by Roman Buček at 9:34), and Procházka (assisted by Vlasák and Robert Reichel at 12:25) to take a 3-0 lead.[4] Slovakia responded with a power-play goal by Martin Štrbák (assisted by Ľubomír Višňovský and Richard Pucher) at 27:43 of the second period, narrowing the gap to 3-1, but the Czechs extended their advantage to 4-1 early in the third when Jan Tomajko scored (assisted by Jiří Dopita and Petr Výborný) at 43:35.[35] The third period saw a late Slovak rally, with Miroslav Hlinka scoring unassisted at 55:22 and Miroslav Šatan (assisted by Ľubomír Bartečko) adding his tournament-leading 10th goal at 57:28 to make it 4-3, but Czech goaltender Roman Čechmánek preserved the win with crucial saves, including stopping 30 of 33 shots.[4] Robert Reichel sealed the 5-3 victory with an empty-net goal (assisted by Sýkora and Vincent Prospal) at 58:58.[35] The game drew an attendance of 12,350 spectators, reflecting the intense brotherly rivalry between the two nations, who had split amicably in 1993 but maintained a perfect 6-0 record for the Czechs against Slovakia in IIHF competitions since then.[36][4] The victory marked the Czech Republic's third IIHF World Championship title as an independent nation (following 1996 and 1999) and their second consecutive gold, solidifying their status as a dominant force in international hockey during the era.[4] In the ensuing ceremony, IIHF President René Fasel presented gold medals to the Czech players and staff, with the Czech national anthem echoing through the arena as captain Jaromír Jágr hoisted the championship trophy.

Results and statistics

Final standings

The final standings of the 2000 IIHF World Championship, held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, reflect the outcomes of the preliminary round, playoffs, and relegation round among the 16 participating teams. The top four positions were decided in the playoff bracket, where the Czech Republic claimed gold with a 5–3 victory over Slovakia in the final, and Finland earned bronze via a 2–1 win against Canada. Positions 5 through 12 were assigned to teams eliminated in the quarterfinals or those that did not advance from the preliminary round, ranked primarily by points earned in the five-game preliminary round (with goal difference as a tiebreaker where necessary). The bottom eight teams competed in the relegation round, where the lowest two—France and Japan—were relegated to Division I for the 2001 tournament, while Austria and Ukraine survived to remain in the top division.[37][38][2] Points in the preliminary round were awarded as 2 for a regulation win, 1 for a tie (including overtime ties), and 0 for a loss; playoff games did not contribute additional points to standings beyond determining rankings. The overall table below summarizes each team's performance across all rounds, including games played (GP), wins (W), ties (T), losses (L), goals for (GF), goals against (GA), goal difference (GDF), and total points (PTS). Top teams played up to 9 games due to playoff participation, while relegation teams played 6.[38]
RankTeamGPWTLGFGAGDFPTS
1Czech Republic98014119+2216
2Slovakia95133422+1211
3Finland95223023+712
4Canada95043217+1510
5United States74211713+410
6Switzerland72231921-26
7Sweden73132415+97
8Latvia73131517-27
9Belarus63031620-46
10Norway62131924-55
11Russia62041613+34
12Italy6114828-203
13Austria62221416-26
14Ukraine62041521-64
15France62131921-25
16Japan6006837-290
[38]

Scoring leaders

The scoring leaders at the 2000 IIHF World Championship were ranked by total points, calculated as the sum of goals and assists earned by players across all games in the tournament.[39] Miroslav Šatan of Slovakia topped the charts with 12 points from 10 goals and 2 assists in 9 games played, achieving a plus/minus rating of +3.[39][40] His exceptional goal-scoring output not only led the tournament but also played a key role in Slovakia's run to the final.[41] The following table lists the top 10 point producers, including games played (GP), goals (G), assists (A), points (PTS), plus/minus (+/-), and penalty minutes (PIM) for added context on their overall contributions.[39]
RankPlayerTeamGPGAPTS+/-PIM
1Miroslav ŠatanSVK910212+314
2Jirí DopitaCZE94711+816
3David VybornyCZE94610+66
4Todd BertuzziCAN9549+547
5Tomáš VlasákCZE9459+50
6Trond MagnussenNOR6369+410
7Ryan SmythCAN9369+30
8Michal SýkoraCZE9538+716
9Arnaud BriandFRA6448-28
10Maurice RozenthalFRA635808
Šatan's 10 goals marked him as the tournament's leading goal scorer, highlighting his offensive dominance despite fewer assists compared to others.[39][41] In contrast, Jirí Dopita of the Czech Republic led in assists with 7, complementing his 4 goals for a total of 11 points and a strong +8 plus/minus in 9 games, which supported Czechia's gold medal finish in the final standings.[39][42] Several players from medal-contending teams, such as the Czech Republic and Canada, featured prominently in the top ranks, underscoring the offensive depth that influenced the playoff outcomes.[39]

Goaltending leaders

The goaltending leaders at the 2000 IIHF World Championship were ranked by save percentage and goals-against average (GAA), with eligibility requiring a minimum of 3 games played or 40% of the team's total minutes. Roman Čechmánek of the Czech Republic dominated the tournament, posting a .925 save percentage and 2.00 GAA across 8 games (480 minutes), while facing shots and earning 1 shutout. He was also named Best Goaltender by the IIHF Directorate. His exceptional performance, including strong showings in the playoff rounds, was pivotal to the Czech Republic's successful defense of their title.[43][38] Other notable performers included José Théodore of Canada, who recorded a .932 save percentage in 8 games. These statistics highlight the critical role of goaltending in the tournament's high-stakes matches.[43]
RankPlayerTeamGPMinGAGAASV%SO
1Roman ČechmánekCZE8480162.00.9251
2José ThéodoreCAN8478131.63.9322
3Artūrs IrbeLAT7420172.43.9060
4Reinhard DivisAUT6359152.51.9250
5Tommy SaloSWE6359101.67.9221

Player awards

The player awards for the 2000 IIHF World Championship were selected by an IIHF media panel after the conclusion of the tournament to recognize standout individual performances.[38] The Media All-Star Team featured goaltender Roman Čechmánek of the Czech Republic, defensemen Petteri Nummelin of Finland and Michal Sýkora of the Czech Republic, and forwards Jiří Dopita and Martin Procházka of the Czech Republic along with Miroslav Šatan of Slovakia.[38] Martin Procházka of the Czech Republic was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player for his leading contributions, including nine points in ten games, which helped secure the gold medal.[38] These awards highlighted key contributors from the champion Czech team as well as strong showings from Finland and Slovakia, reflecting the competitive balance in the final round.[38]

IIHF honors

All-Star Team

The Media All-Star Team for the 2000 IIHF World Championship was selected by journalists covering the tournament to recognize outstanding individual performances across all rounds of the competition.[44][38] This selection process highlights players who demonstrated exceptional skill, consistency, and impact in key statistical categories such as goals, assists, save percentages, and defensive contributions, contributing to their teams' successes in the preliminary, qualification, and medal rounds.[44] The team consisted of one goaltender, two defensemen, and three forwards, reflecting the standard IIHF format for media-voted honors. Goaltender Roman Čechmánek of the Czech Republic anchored the lineup, earning recognition for his pivotal role in leading his nation to the gold medal with a tournament-leading performance in goals-against average and save percentage.[38] On defense, Petteri Nummelin from Finland was chosen for his steady play and offensive contributions from the blue line, while Michal Sýkora of the Czech Republic was honored for his robust defensive work and point production.[44][38] Up front, Jiří Dopita and Tomáš Vlasák, both from the Czech Republic, were selected alongside Miroslav Šatan of Slovakia; Šatan led the tournament with 12 points including ten goals, Dopita had 11 points, and Vlasák provided scoring depth in the forward lines.[38][42][39] This All-Star selection underscored the Czech Republic's dominance as champions, with three players from their roster featured, a reflection of their balanced attack and defensive solidity throughout the event hosted in Russia.[38] No players from the host nation Russia made the team, despite their strong showing in reaching the quarterfinals.[38]

Most Valuable Player

The Most Valuable Player award for the 2000 IIHF World Championship, introduced the previous year in 1999, was presented to Martin Procházka of the Czech Republic following their gold medal victory.[14] Selected by accredited media members, the award recognizes the player's overall tournament impact, encompassing statistical contributions, leadership, and critical performances in high-stakes games such as the semifinals and final.[45] Procházka, a forward, exemplified these qualities by delivering clutch plays that propelled the Czech Republic to the title.[42] In nine tournament games, Procházka tallied five points with two goals and three assists, achieving a plus-five rating while logging 14 shots on goal.[39] His efforts underscored his role as a reliable offensive contributor and leader on a squad that defended their 1999 championship, blending skill with tenacity in key moments like the semifinal win over Canada. As an established NHL veteran with the Vancouver Canucks—where he had appeared in 38 games across two seasons—Procházka brought professional poise to the international stage, aiding the Czech Republic's second consecutive world title.[46]

Directorate awards

The IIHF Directorate awards recognize the top performers in key positional roles at the World Championship, selected through votes cast by one representative from each participating national team, emphasizing excellence in goaltending, defense, and forward play. For the 2000 tournament in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the recipients were:
  • Best Goaltender: Roman Čechmánek (Czech Republic), who anchored the gold medal-winning team's defense with a strong performance in net.[14]
  • Best Defenceman: Petteri Nummelin (Finland), noted for his steady defensive contributions during Finland's fourth-place finish.[14]
  • Best Forward: Miroslav Šatan (Slovakia), the tournament's leading scorer with 10 goals, helping Slovakia secure the silver medal.[14][39]
These honors highlight individual impact within team success, distinct from media-selected all-stars or overall MVP recognition.

References

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